You Really Can Understand the Bible

You Really Can Understand the Bible

I had a fellow declare to me that the Bible was a set of numeric couplets that had to be interpreted numerologically.  In the immortal words of my seminary prof., “I believe that theory will collapse under its own weight”.   Sometimes I think odd duck theology, and/or those who declare they have the only way to study the Bible effectively have the effect of scaring people off from reading the best, most helpful book that they could ever read.

You can take the Bible straight and literal, according to the normal use of language.  Sure, it’s translated from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, but that is not something to be scared of.  I’ve studied the Bible in those languages, and have seen that we have  good, readable translations ever since 1611, even updating and accounting for the way the English language changes.  The manuscripts in the ancient languages make it the best preserved ancient writing in the world. 

But back to us getting it in English, take it straight and literal, according to the normal use of the English language.  As we read, we should give attention to grammar, context, and history.  History because it was written over a period of about 1500 years with all the civilizations that happened during that time.  The cool thing about the Bible is the continuity it has, despite all that.  It all points to Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  The Old Testament looks forward to Him, and the New Testament looks back to Him.  And I guess I should say, looking ahead to Him, as He is coming again! 

The Bible is God’s word, it is “inspired by God, and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16,17).  It was inspired by God, but it was written by real people who were experiencing real things.  They all related the events and teaching as they mostly were eyewitnesses.  As they wrote God’s word, their experiences

come through in the writing.  But when they wrote it was special, “men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Peter 2:21). 

Deep thinking and meditation on God’s word, and then acting on it in our lives is the key to success in life.  Joshua was told “then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have success” (Joshua 1:8).  (Don’t hear ‘get rich quick’ here, I am not into the aforementioned odd theologies, the Bible helps us do life). So what about the major spin some people put on the thought of “many godly people have had many different interpretations”.  Let me be a little blunt.  The Bible is pretty straightforward.  A lot of our contemporary issues are completely settled if one cares about what the Bible actually says.  That is actually the difficulty that I considered in writing this.  It is difficult only if it says something we are uncomfortable with or leaves us with no excuse for behavior we already knew was evil. 

The Bible truly works for someone who has a personal relationship with God.  To one who does not trust in Jesus Christ as Savior, they will run into a roadblock.  The Holy Spirit, who inspired the Bible is in the heart and life of a follower of Jesus.  He leads us to the Bible and makes it clear.  But for one without Christ, “But a natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 1:21).  Have you believed in Jesus Christ?  Send me a note, I would love to talk to you!